Thursday, April 30, 2009

The following were the notes I took from our visit on 4/30 to Sue Kempton's classroom. I have not organized or checked them for mistakes or even if they make sense. They were line of thought things that hit me while visiting. I am still digesting.

Keep AM in tact. No specials in morning.

Book check out is daily homework. This means parent or other person reading to child not the child reading.

Nonfiction is really important.

Inference is huge right now. 2 year olds can infer. Use word clues and picture clues.

Don't pick the book apart the first time you read it.

Song and movement throughout the day.

No chairs.

Workshop model - Mini lesson, guided instruction, independent work.

Pay attention to questioning.

Hugs and talks individually to every child as they enter the classroom.

Who's absent chart.

Book check out

Math board- twelve is the answer. What is the story (inferring)

A lot of choice to start with free exploration

Shape cards hung from ceiling

IA helping student with sight words on the go.

Beautiful bird art work displayed. All displayed work is art – no writing or other curricular work displayed.

Transitioned to all students reading independently, with partners, and with teacher

Lights off signal to get quiet

Teacher gives directions very quietly

Whole nonfiction shelf animal theme

No staff name badges

No visitors badges required

Turns off lights to transition.

Slow transitions

Each child gently urged to join transition

Can you help him? With spelling on crown

Does anyone have anything to share?

Shared stuff they discovered in the books they read.

Asked inferring questions

Pointed out vocabulary

A lot of white noise competing

Connect to previous learning

Bunny roams around freely

None of the kids raise their hands during some discussion times – they are allowed to popcorn out with their responses

“Rich” words

Connected learning to previous learning again.

Say it in a loud voice because I know you know this. -empowering

I want you to look at these pictures because I am going to ask some of you to do this.

No teacher desk

I want you to do some thinking about why poachers would want to kill a cheetah.

What do they want from the cheetah?

Kids identify kids who are absent

Not full participation when given direction

9:00 How do we know it is Thursday

Because it starts with th

I am glad you said th and not just t because that would be tursday

Picture of twin towers displayed and labeled

Morning message-

I want to see the first part of the year – how dis these kindergarteners get to this point?

Discipline handled very publicly sometimes.

What clues did you see that said we are having cupcakes and juice today?

9:25 first movement break - song played on CD player

Finished with a sit down movement song

I have a new book to read to you.

Pay attention to the word and picture clues

The author does not tell you who Charlie Anderson is and how they got her name. Can you infer who Charlie Anderson is before we start reading?

Stopped top discuss and practice purring

9:40 shared student writing from yesterday

Would you refocus please - student left to tape spot - raise your hand when you are ready to come back

Go ahead and get your writing

Reread your piece first.

Plays music softly during writing

What do you want the reader to infer from your writing?

IA stayed at back table the whole time – Sue roamed around other tables

Does not focus on case, buy does work on punctuation and spacing but mostly on content.

Reread your writing and listen for your stops

You're going to show with your words that you are going to have fun but you are not going to come right out and say that

Always starts with - will you read your writing to me?

Can you infer how he is feeling- during I message?

Back table with IA needed more help with sound spelling

10:20 We need to stop now.

I am going to have Jade share.

Sue is OK with transitions taking longer and urging them over quietly and individually.

What can you infer from her writing

Nursery rhymes are very important

Public handling of disagreements builds confidence to speak up for themselves.

Her and here - what do you notice about the difference between these words.

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